Larson, Kelley Earn Medalist Honors at Nebraska Junior Match Play
Stroke Play Qualifying Completed Tuesday at Riverside Golf Club
GRAND ISLAND (July 8, 2025) - Lincoln's Eden Larson earned medalist honors at the 63rd Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship and Omaha's Tommy Kelley did the same at the 36th Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship, after Stroke Play Qualifying was completed on Tuesday at Riverside Golf Club.
Larson shot a round of 74 (+2) to post the low score on the girls' side and take the No. 1 seed. The Lincoln Southwest rising senior won the 2024 NSAA Class A Individual Title last fall, but is looking for her first NebGolf title.
Kelley, a rising senior at Creighton Prep, paced the boys' field with a round of 68 (-4) to earn the top seed. He finished runner-up at last year's championship to Omaha's Trevor Gutschewski.
The Stroke Play Qualifying round was interrupted by lightning on Monday, with more than a 3-hour suspension in the evening. Play resumed at 7:30 p.m., but was suspended again due to darkness. The round was completed on Tuesday morning.
Three players tied for second on the boys' side with rounds of 70 (-2), including Koji Kitabatake of Kearney, who is the No. 2 seed. Lincoln's Zack Erstad, who lost in a playoff at the 2025 Nebraska Junior Amateur to finish runner-up, is the No. 3 seed and Bennington's Austin Jochum is the No. 3 seed.
Lincoln's Isabella Elgert is the No. 2 seed on the girls' side, with a round of 76 (+4), while Stella Sedlacek of Columbus and KayLynn Jorgensen of Minden tied for third at 77 (+5). Sedlacek is the No. 3 seed and Jorgensen is the No. 4 seed.
A playoff was needed to complete the bracket on both sides, with nine boys competing for four spots after finishing tied at 76 (+4). Lincoln's Will Fiala birdied his last qualifying hole to get into the playoff, and then secured the last spot in the bracket on the second playoff hole to earn the No. 32 seed and face-off against Kelley.
The girls' playoff was three players for one spot at 85 (+13). Omaha's Addie Benge secured the No. 16 seed on the first playoff hole, and will face Larson in the Round of 16.
The boys' Round of 32 is underway, with the Round of 16 to follow late this afternoon, beginning at 3 p.m. The girls' Round of 16 is also underway, with the Quarterfinals to follow, beginning at 4:12 p.m.
The brackets are available under the Scoring tab of the championship websites below, along with full qualifying results and additional information.
Nebraska Girls' Match Play Championship
Nebraska Junior Match Play Championship
About NebGolf
The Nebraska Golf Association (NebGolf), founded in 1966, is comprised of all members of public and private clubs and/or municipal or regional golf associations which utilize an approved handicap service recognized by the USGA and provided by NebGolf. Our mission is to uphold and promote the game of golf and its values to all golfers in Nebraska. Among the duties of the Association include governance of member clubs and service as their handicapping and course rating authority, conduct of state golf championships, local USGA qualifying & other notable competitions, promotion of junior golf, presentation of worthwhile educational programs and support of allied golf organizations in Nebraska. The Nebraska Golf Association is an Allied Golf Association of the USGA and carries out core services including Handicap Administration and Oversight, Course Rating, Rules of Golf and Rules of Amateur Status, Tournaments and USGA Championship Qualifiers and USGA Initiatives and Community Programs.
